Penrhyn

Penrhyn, called Tongareva locally, is the northernmost of the Cook Islands and has the largest lagoon in the group, some two hundred and thirty square kilometres of water inside a ring of motu, and the pearl shell taken from it was the atoll's trade for a century. The lagoon holds sharks in numbers that visitors remember. Two villages, Omoka and Te Tautua, sit on opposite sides, and the population is a few hundred.

What you actually see

• The lagoon - some two hundred and thirty square kilometres, the group's largest.
• The sharks - the numbers in the lagoon that the atoll is known for.
• The pearl shell trade - the industry the atoll lived on for a century.
• The two villages - Omoka and Te Tautua across the lagoon from each other.

When to go

May to October is the drier season outside the cyclone months. Cyclone season runs November to April. Flights are irregular and expensive.

Honest expectations

This is over a thousand kilometres from Rarotonga and flights are infrequent and expensive. Accommodation is homestays arranged well in advance. Facilities are minimal and supplies arrive by ship.

Nearby

Rakahanga is southwest, and Rarotonga is far south.